Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: The Next Generation
by Skynica Dryhern
Summary: I'm sure that anyone who has ever played the PMD games has conjured their own ideas about how it was going to go. And the Unova region helped out alot with a new cast of characters! Rated t just in case- may change later.  HeroXPartnerShipping
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Miss Me, Miss Me, Now You Gotta Kiss Me!

Grovyle and I had been together since who-knows-when. Maybe a cousin or someone gave him to me. I don't really know. But we were each-other's buddies. We would constantly go into the nearby forest and play explorers. But we were lacking something.

That something would be a decent life.

Yeah, time was frozen. That's why we decided from an early age that we would do something about it. Aided by my special ability, the Dimensional Scream (how I discovered this power is another story), We ran away from home and began our research.

I looked down at Grovyle. He looked back at me and smiled. We had finally found the last location of the ancient Time Gears- a vital part in restoring time. Now, we were standing in front of the Portal of Time. Celebi was hovering near-by. Oh yeah- Celebi was helping us. We had to get to the past to save time, and Celebi was pretty much the only one who could help us.

"Ready buddy?" I asked.

"Gro-o," he said. Even though I couldn't understand his _exact _words, I knew what he meant- "_Let's go,_"

I breathed, clutched my bag closer to my chest, and jumped into the dimensional hole. I saw Grovyle jump in right after me. But something else caught my attention.

"No, no, no!" I shouted. "Grovyle! Move!"

The Shadow-Ball whizzed by, and Darkrai lost his chance at us. I heard his enraged cry, but it was far, far away.

Fightning the dizziness, I looked over at Grovyle. His eyes seemed to say "_Good save- That was too close though_,"

Grovyle was starting to drift farther away. I wondered if that would affect where we would end up after our trip.

The swirling dimensions started to tug at me, making me feel faint. "No wonder Pinkie said that she hated time-traveling," I mumbled to myself. I let my eyes drift shut.

I breathed in. I breathed out. And I knew no more.

But hey! Darkrai missed us- so that means we're safe!

**(But changing one small thing can have dastardly consequences… I realize that this chapter was really short, but I'm trying to get them longer. But seriously. Changing a 'minor' detail can really mess stuff up.)**


	2. Chapter 2, Little Nothings

Chapter 2

Little Nothings

"Hey, Hero?" Claudio shouted. I hadn't moved at all since last night. Mud was matted in my fur, not to mention caked to my face. I heard Claudio's wet splashes as he approached me. He turned me over. I just stared at the sky, not saying anything.

"Oh, Hero, you're a mess!" he said. He got behind me and pushed me into an upright position with his nose. I just slumped forward. I felt rather dead. Claudio walked around to my front and looked at me.

"Hey, are you ok?"

I just stared at him. He came over and sat by me. "I don't care how long it takes," he said, "but I will never leave your side."

And so, for half of the morning we just sat in the mud, me musing over how in the world I would be turned human again, and Claudio thinking about what ever Pokémon like him would think about.

Finally, I realized how hungry and uncomfortable I was, so I got up to try and find somewhere I could wash myself and get some food. I found a softly babbling brook where I took a steady swim. I was presently accompanied by a Vaporeon. We swam loops and somersaults and raced each other around under water. Finally, I was too tired to swim any more, so I got out and shook myself dry.

The Vaporeon also got out and sat a little bit away. I looked around. Where was Claudio? By the time I looked back at the Vaporeon, I had figured it out. Claudio laughed and changed himself back into Zorua.

"Pretty neat, am I right?" he said. I smiled.

"Thanks, Claudio," I said. He raised an eyebrow spot in surprise.

"Why do I need thanks from you?" He asked. "I only came to swim with you,"

"Yes, exactly," I said. "You came while I was feeling completely miserable. You coming made, well, makes me feel better,"

Claudio smiled and nodded. "Well, you're certainly cleaner than you were before." We sat in silence for a while, musing over the conversation. Soon, though, my stomach reminded me that I still had yet to eat.

"Well, there's only the store here," Claudio said, "But there's a place over in Glitter City where they have pre-prepared food. It doesn't even cost all that much!"

"Sounds nice," I said. Claudio paused before telling me something very important.

"But the problem with Glitter City is that every once in a while there are humans that come. I still have yet to see any trainers, I mean, most of the humans who come just take pictures for children's science books, but still, I'm not very comfortable around them…"

I didn't hear the rest of what he said because I was thinking of a way to try and get some of the human's attention that 'Hey, look here! I'm talking to you! Yeah, you buddy. Listen, I'm a human stuck in an Oshawott's body and I need help to get out!'

"Sound like a good plan?" Claudio suddenly asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure…" I said.

"Great! What do you think we should call the team then?" He asked.

I stared blankly at him. I had no idea what he could be talking about.

"Nothing? Hm…" he said. After a moment's thought, he suddenly cried out in happiness. "That's it! Team Nothing! Wow, Hero, you're the greatest at names!"

"What?" I asked quietly. Claudio wasn't listening to me though. He was consumed in his own thoughts.

"This is going to be so amazing! We will be an amazing exploration team, just like Team Diamond! C'mon Hero, let's go get registered!"

"W-wh…what?"

"Weren't you listening? Let's go!" he said.

I followed him along the path, staying completely silent. Suddenly, Claudio stopped.

"I think it would be faster if we flew there," He said. He jumped up, and suddenly he was no longer a Zorua, but a mighty Staraptor. "Hop on," he said. I did as instructed, and in no time we were up in the air.

"So, why haven't you made an exploration team already?" I asked through the wind.

"Long story," Claudio replied. "We'll be in Glitter City really soon, and I'd rather not start telling you and have to stop."

In a few minutes, we landed in Glitter City. Claudio changed himself back into Zorua, and we walked down the street. There were no humans- only other Pokémon. They seemed to be from just about every region. Claudio lead me down the street, and then took a sharp turn into one of the buildings.

Inside, there was a Glameow using her tail to write something down. She had a dreamy look in her eyes. She looked up when Claudio cleared her throat, startled. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't-"

"It's ok," I said.

"No it's not," said the Glameow. "I have to stay on top of the ball so I get paid. If I don't get paid, I don't eat. If I don't eat, I starve. If I starve-"

"Yes, I get it," I said, cutting her short.

"We would like to make an exploration team," Claudio said.

"Well, that's kind of obvious, don't you think?" the Glameow said. She flipped open another book with her paw, then with her pen at the ready, she asked for our names.

"Claudio,"

"Hero,"

"Ok, now what do you want to name your team?"

Claudio looked at me and I looked back. We turned to the Glameow and told her what we wanted to name our team.

"Ok, but hold on a second…" the Glameow said she took out yet another book. After flipping through about 10 pages, she said, "I'm sorry, but someone already chose that name for their team. You have two options now. Number one, you can just pick out a different name for your team, or two, you can go hunt down the other Team Nothing and ask to be a part of their team. I suggest you think about it before you decide, ok?"

Claudio and I walked a few paces to the far corner of the room. He looked at me.

"Well, I think it should be your call," I said. "You're the one who wanted to form a team in the first place,"

"I personally wouldn't mind being a part of another team," Claudio said. "In fact, I think that it would be better than making our own team because neither of us are very strong yet,"

"We don't know that," I said. "For all we know, I could be level 100. But ok, we'll go find the other Team Nothing,"

We returned to the counter and told Glameow our choice.

"Ok then, I'll make note of it," she said.

"Thanks," Claudio said. We stood there in awkward silence for a few seconds, then Claudio asked, "Do you know where Team Nothing is?"

The Glameow was obviously getting tired of us, but she pulled out a huge book, flipped through it and answered.

"Joy and Leo's base is just north of here," She said. She closed all of the books and put them away as we thanked her.

"Well, it is my job," she said.

Claudio and I exited the recruiting office and headed north. We saw signs leading to bases for other teams, but nothing for Team Nothing.

We reached the end of the street, but there was no sign of a base for Team Nothing.  
>"Well now what?" I asked.<p>

"We could go back and ask that Glameow for directions, or we could ask one of these other teams if they know anything,"

"Let's go with the last choice," I said. I looked around. There was a Buizel and a Munchlax that seemed to be on a team, and also a Leafeon and a Luxio on a team. I suggested to Claudio that we should ask the Leafeon and Luxio because they were probably an older team and knew more.

As we approached them, the Leafeon looked our way and smiled.

"Hi there!" she said. She and the Luxio came over to us. "Are you sweeties looking for someone?"

"Actually, we're looking for a team," I said. "Do you happen to know a team called Team Nothing? We wanted to ask if we could join their team,"

"We're not exactly strong enough to form a good team of our own," Said Claudio. "That, and we wanted to use the team name of 'Nothing',"

The other two Pokemon looked at each other, and this time both of them smiled. By now I had figured out that this was probably Team Nothing, and the next thing they said confirmed my suspicion.

"Well then," said Leo, the Luxio. "Welcome to Team Nothing, little nothings."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Installation and a Secret

"First thing's first," Joy said. She shoved her nose under the lid of a large treasure chest. "You guys are a member of our team, so you need scarves or bandanas to show it,"

"This chest was actually from our first big treasure hit," Said Leo. "Yeah, way over in the Eastern Forest. Kinda funny, because that place is west of here,"

"Yeah, but it's only a hop and a skip by Lapras," Joy said. "Ahh, here they are!"

She dragged out a blue and white tye-dyed scarf and a black and white striped bandana. She handed the scarf to me and the bandana to Claudio.

"Go ahead, try 'em on!" Leo said. I wrapped my scarf around my neck and helped Claudio with his. Well, I was going to, but he changed into a Squirtle to do his.

"Gosh, I'm still not used to that," said Joy. "We used to live just south of Sinnoh, but we moved here because there were a lot of trainers going that way from places like Johto and Kanto. There are like no trainers here on Tear Drop Island- only the photographers,"

"Told you so," Claudio whispered to me.

"Tear Drop Island is in the ocean between Kanto and Unova, actually," Leo continued. "There's a lot of Mystery Dungeons here, and that suits my style,"

"Ok, ok!" Joy said. "Let's do it! Let's get you _officially _installed into Team Nothing! Ok, so do you promise to do right whenever possible, help others when they're in trouble, and... uh..."

"Defend the innocent, stay true to your word, and never betray an ally or a noble cause," Leo finished for her.

"Yeah, that," Joy said. "All that stuff, and if so say 'I do so promise to the best of my abilities,"

I looked over to Claudio, who nodded. "I do so promise to the best of my abilities," we said.

"By the way, did you make that up on the spot?" I asked.

"You know it!" Both Leo and Joy said at the same time, smiling. "Welcome to the Club!"

We followed Joy and Leo to their base- an underground cave entered through a hollowed out tree-stump.

"I mean, we _are _Team Nothing, so we don't need nothing!" said Joy.

"That made no sense," I said. "You have stuff here, don't you?"

"Get used to it," said Leo. "Joy is a little... well she's a little different, if you didn't notice,"

"She's not the only different one," I mumbled.

"I'm not THAT different, am I?" Joy said a little nervously.

"Joy, you're fine," Leo said.

"Good," She replied. She sat down and looked at us. "Well, this is your home-sweet home now, so if you don't like it, well, you're just going to have to deal with it."

"Hey, does anyone have the time?" Claudio asked. Leo looked over to a wall clock and gave the answer.

"It's 12:30. Why do you need to know?"

"I'm starving!" Claudio said. "You got any good eats?"

"Of course!" Joy said. "We have TONS of apples from the Apple Orchard on the next island over. Is that good?"

"Perfect," Said Claudio. "How about you, Hero? Sound good for you too?"

"Uh, what? Oh, yes please," I replied flatly. I had been wanting to ask something.

"So, there are more islands than this one?" I asked.

"Yes, there are," Leo said. "Tear Drop Island is just one of a chain of nine or so islands. Let me think... I think the others are something like Trophy Island, Storm Island, Guidance Island, Star Island, Rumination Island, Millennia Island, Kaleidoscope Island, Trial Island, and our very own Tear Drop Island,"

I sat in silence for a while, mulling over the names of these islands until Joy came around with an apple. For some reason, some of those names sounded rather familiar to me. But why?

"Hero, you've taken only a bite. Are you not hungry?" Joy asked suddenly. I looked down at the bright red apple she had given me.

"No, I just have a lot on my mind," I said.

"Huh. Well, I got news for you sister," She said. She came and sat next to me and lifted her paw up. "You are not alone!"

"Ok, here's the game plan," Leo said. We had cleared most of the clutter from the center of the room and had spread out a large map on the floor. Leo pointed to an island colored blue. "This is Tear Drop Island here," He said. He drew an invisible line with his paw to another island, this one colored gold. "All of these islands are connected by Lapras Ferry. Tomorrow, we have a job over here on Trophy Island to catch a thieving Cherubi. She apparently cons others with her cute looks,"

"Wait, please hold on a minute," I said. "What's a 'job'? And why do we need to catch this Cherubi?"

Leo groaned and slapped his forehead. "Do I need to start from the beginning for you?"

"I-I'm fine," Claudio said. "I think that it's just Hero that needs some explaining,"

The Luxio sighed, then started explaining. "Ok, as an Exploration Team, we go out and catch crooks, explore new places, and rescue others in need, got it?"

"So far, yes," I said.

"Ok. When we do one of those things, we usually get a reward and some 'Rank Points',"

"And what are 'Rank Points'?"

"Once a team has obtained a certain amount, their rank goes up. If I remember correctly, it starts at Normal Rank, then goes up through bronze, silver, gold, platinum, ultra one through three, hyper one through three, master one through five, then Guild rank. Once a team reaches 'Guild' status, it is assumed that they have enough members in their team to start a guild,"

"So, what rank is team Nothing?"

"Currently, we are at Platinum rank," Joy said. "But it won't be long until we reach Ultra1,"

"All jobs take place in Mystery Dungeons," Leo continued. "There are not nearly as many as there used to be, back 200 years ago, but there are still quite a few out there. The layout of a Mystery Dungeon changes every time you go in, and there are untold treasures at the end of most of them,"

"Treasures like what?"

"Well, it's usually just stuff like gold, but far away, I've heard legends about there being these things called Time Gears,"

"And those are..."

"They control the flow of time, but as I said, that stuff is far away and part of legend,"

"Oh Leo," Joy said. "You and I both know it's not legend! Just think about what Team Diamond did back in their hay-day!"

"It still is their hay-day," Leo retorted. "They've done everything short of copy-righting Dungeon crawling. But yes, I will admit they were- and still are- a team of legendary status,"

"Ok, so why do you- I mean we- make exploration teams?"

"It's a job," Joy said. "We live off of what we find in the dungeons. We usually end up selling some of our treasures to get by,"

"Can I get back to the game plan?" Leo said. He pointed to another island, a dull brown one. "If we take care of Cherubi quickly, then we should have enough time to get over to Trial island for some good exploring. There have been rumors of something stirring over there, and I personally want to go check it out,"

"But as it is already 1:00," Joy cut in, "We'll be doing all that stuff tomorrow,"

"Then what will we do for the rest of the day today?" I asked.

"I have some stuff back in Taquif that we could move here," Claudio said. "I don't really have a lot- if the four of us went, we could probably get it all in one trip,"

"How much of it do you think we can get rid of?" Leo asked.

Claudio was silent for a moment, then replied, "Probably most of it. As I said, there's not a lot,"

"What about you, Hero?" Joy asked. "Do you have anything?"

"What? Oh, er.. No, I don't have anything," I replied.

"Nothing at all? Not even a bed cushion?"

"Listen, I said I don't have anything," I said. I was starting to get a little bit irritated.

"If you say so," Joy said. She gave me a strange look, then turned to Leo. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah,"

After we had sold some of Claudio's stuff and moved the rest of it to the base, it was starting to get dark. I sat outside in the cooling evening breeze. Presently, Joy came up from the base and sat with me.

"You know, I don't get it," She said. I turned and gave her a quizzical look. "I mean, you don't own anything," she continued, "And I've never seen you around these parts. If you're a traveler, then you'd at least have a bag or something, right?"

"Listen Joy, if you didn't already notice, I'm not exactly like the rest of you,"

"And how so?"

I sighed, wondering if I should tell my secret to Joy.

"The reason I'm different, and the reason I don't own anything," I said slowly, "Is because I'm not actually a Pokemon,"

Joy gave me an odd stare. "What do you mean, 'not actually a Pokemon'?"

"That's it," I replied simply. "I'm not a Pokemon. It's as simple as that,"

"So, you're… Like, a shape-shifter, or what?"

"Please try to trust me on this," I said. "But I woke up yesterday morning without my memory. And I believe- no, I know- that _before that morning, _I was a human,"

"H-human?" Joy said. She stood up and started to back away. "Human? Human?"

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Y-ye… No… Argh….."

I gently put my paw around her shoulders as she started sobbing. "It's ok, you can tell me,"

"I-I had a good t-trainer…" Joy started. "Her name was Jamie. She was really nice to me, but eventually the time came where we had to say goodbye,"

"She released you?"

"Y-yes," she said. "I didn't want to go, but Jamie said that it was time for us to move on. She had other, more powerful Pokemon that she wanted to concentrate on training, so she decided that instead of keeping us in the PC boxes, she would let us go,"

"Who do you mean by 'us'?" I asked.

"There were six of us on her team," she said. "It was me, Leo, Bunbun, who was a Lopunny, Chip the Graveler, Happy who was a Blissey, and then Pip, her Empoleon. As far as I know, she donated Happy to a Pokemon Center somewhere, kept Pip, and released the rest of us,"

"Why did you and Leo stay together?" I asked.

"We didn't have anyone or anything else to turn to," Joy replied simply. "We just headed south- hitching free rides on boats whenever possible. Eventually, we made it here to Teardrop Island and started our exploration team,"

"Is that it?"

"It's not that I have anything against humans or Pokemon trainers," Joy continued. "It's just that Jamie… I don't think she made the right choice, that's all. And I'm afraid that she's not the only one who will make the wrong choice,"

"Well, think of it this way, Joy," I said. "If your trainer hadn't released you, you wouldn't be here now, right?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"I'm going to need all the help I can get to figure out who I really am," I said. "That's why you're here,"

"I suppose so," Joy said. "Thanks Hero,"

I smiled as we walked back inside. 'Yes,' I thought. 'You are here to help me figure out who I am, and help me get back to being human again,'.


End file.
